Shops, vehicles torched after BJP-CPI(M) workers clash in poll-bound Tripura

In yet another incident of political violence ahead of the Assembly elections in Tripura, workers of ruling BJP and Opposition CPI(M) clashed in Gomati district on Tuesday night following which three shops and a few vehicles were torched.

Police officials said the incident took place at Rajadharnagar village, where the ancestral home of former CM and senior BJP leader Biplab Kumar Deb is situated. "Three shops and some other vehicles (one car and a few two-wheelers) were set on fire after a political violence took place involving members of BJP and CPI(M). The situation now is normal and we have already arrested two persons and detained a few others for their involvement in the incident," a police official said.

The Opposition CPI(M) alleged that BJP workers attacked their supporters when they tried to put up their party flags as part of a party event at Rajadharnagar. "BJP workers turned violent and asked our workers to stop hoisting our party flags. Our workers objected as BJP has no right to stop us from hoisting our party flags," a CPI(M) leader said.

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Tripura has reported similar violence since BJP came to power for the first time in 2018 by defeating the 25-year-old CPI(M) government. On November 30 last year, one CPI(M) worker died and 12 others were injured in a similar clash with BJP workers in Sipahijala district.

The Opposition parties have alleged that the state police has remained a mute spectator even as the BJP workers and leaders have continuously targeted and attacked them.
“They want to stop the Opposition parties by resorting to violence and creating a fear psychosis. But people have now realised the mistake by electing BJP to power in 2018. In the next Assembly polls, people will give a fitting reply. Realising this, BJP workers have become restless and are attacking the Opposition party workers,” CPI(M) leader, Jitendra Choudhury said after the November 30 incident.

Assembly elections in Tripura are slated in February and the Opposition CPI(M) has claimed that it will return to power again. The CPM(I) is also repeatedly calling for unity of Opposition parties including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress.